Title
Histadyl® E.C. Syrup
Author
Eli Lilly and Company – Indianapolis, U.S.A.
Image
Description
This one-pint amber bottle of Histadyl® E.C. was produced by Eli Lilly and Company for cough relief. Marketed as a Methapyrilene Compound E.C., it blends methapyrilene, ephedrine, ammonium chloride, guaifenesin, and codeine phosphate, and contains 5% alcohol. Though it was labeled as an “exempt narcotic,” it contains habit-forming ingredients and reflects mid-century pharmaceutical practices before tighter narcotic controls were in place.
Condition
Bottle is in very good vintage condition with intact label, visible wear, and stamped internal control markings (Control ZEL12C). Original black ribbed cap is present. No visible liquid remains inside.
Gallery
Historical context
During the 1940s–60s, medications like Histadyl were commonly dispensed with narcotic content under “exempt” rules. These cough syrups were widely available without full DEA scheduling. The presence of codeine and methapyrilene placed these medications in a grey zone—commonly used but poorly regulated by modern standards.
Curious Facts, Ephemera, and Trivia
Methapyrilene was withdrawn after being shown to cause liver cancer in rats.
The “exempt narcotic” label allowed over-the-counter sales of codeine-containing products under federal limits.
The bottle instructs: “If nervousness, dizziness, or sleeplessness occurs, reduce dosage.” Despite being a sedative blend, it includes the stimulant ephedrine, creating a biochemical contradiction.
Excerpt
“Contains in 30 cc: Ephedrine Hydrochloride 30 mg, Methapyrilene Fumarate 8.1 mg, Ammonium Chloride 660 mg, Alcohol 5%.”
“Warning: May be habit forming.”
Why it is in the Cabinet
This bottle represents a long-vanished chapter in pharmaceutical history—when narcotics were routinely included in everyday remedies and sold across the counter. It is emblematic of the era’s casual approach to drug safety and marketing.
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